Let it Snow!

It's the time of year when we think of....snow! I grew up in Buffalo, New York, so I have a lot of first-hand experience with snow. There are few natural things that children enjoy more than playing in snow, so why not add a little science to the mix?

Snow is a type of precipitation in the form of crystalline water ice, consisting of a multitude of snowflakes that fall from clouds.The shape of the snowflake is determined broadly by the temperature and humidity at which it is formed. Snow forms in a hexagonal (six-sided) form due to the way that water freezes.

Wilson "Snowflake" Bentley was the first known photographer of snowflakes. He perfected a process of catching flakes on black velvet in such a way that their images could be captured before they melted. Common knowledge is that no two snowflakes are alike, but they can be very similar when conditions are the same.

You can study snow with children by observing it in and out of the classroom, using all the senses (Note: I do not recommend having children eat real snow). Examine it with a magnifier, feel it with your fingers, listen to it crunch, watch it melt, weigh it, measure it, roll it with a rolling pin, fill up a cup with it, make tracks in it.

Snow Resources:

• The Story of Snow: The Science of Winter's Wonder, Mark Cassino. Chronicle Books, 2009.
• Snow Is Falling (Let's-Read-and-Find-Out Science, Stage 1), Franklyn M. Branley (Author), Holly Keller (Illustrator). Collins, 2000.
• I Am Snow (Hello Reader, Science), Jean Marzollo (Author), Judith Moffatt (Illustrator). Cartwheel, 2000.
• Search on 'snowflakes' in Google Images for hundreds of photographs.

Colors in Nature

Here is a sneak preview of my keynote speech, The Art of Nature Science for the 3rd Annual 'Green' conference on Saturday, January 9, 2010, here at Cape Cod Community College:

Nature is the original artist! Did you know that the color wheel, used in a variety of activities from painting to gardening, actually reflects the amazing ways that nature combines color to great effect. Complementary colors are colors opposite each other on the color wheel, such as blue and orange, red and green, and purple and yellow. Analogous colors are colors next to each other on the color wheel, such as red, orange, and yellow, or green, blue, and violet. Look around you and you will start to notice all of the natural complementary and analogous colors everywhere. You can do nature color studies with children, provide nature pallets for painting, drawing, etc. The colors of nature offer another 'language' for children to use when creating and representing their world.

Cones in Nature

I am still fascinated by the art of Andy Goldsworthy and it's relationship to nature and art (See March 12, 2009 entry about spirals). Just as children are intrigued by spirals, they also like cones. Andy Goldsworthy has made cones of various materials all over the world. Did you know that there are all kinds of cones throughout the natural world? There are dozens of varieties of pine cones, of course, but also cone flowers, pineapples, and artichokes, to name a few. Cones are forms by scales or petals that are arranged in a spiral formation known as a Fibonacci number sequence. You can study all kinds of cones with young children by making a collection and setting it out on the science table. Have a children's field guide to trees, as well as photographs or real examples of other types of cones mentioned above. How are the cones the same? How are they different? What are they made of? What is inside of them? Do any animals eat them? Why are some cones long and thin, and others short and fat?

Resources about Pine Cones

From Pine Cone to Pine Tree (Scholastic News Nonfiction Readers: How Things Grow), by Ellen Weiss, 2007. Children's Press. This is a great book about pine cones , and one of an interesting series for children.

Pine Trees (Rookie Read-About Science) by Allan Fowler, 2002, Children's Press. This book includes different types of pine trees as well as the parts of the trees, including the cones.

There are thousands of photographs of pine cones and other types of cones in nature in Google Images. Children can paint cones, paint on cones, and create cones with clay. Many nature books for children include ideas for pine cone activities.

The Science of Trees

Trees are the most accessible and obvious way to introduce children to nature. Every tree is a habitat unto itself, providing food and shelter for any number of insects, birds, and mammals. A tree study can be carried out throughout the year so children can observe a variety of natural rhythms and cycles. The trees in your area will depend on the climate as well as how often the area has been cleared. Many people plant exotic or ornamental trees that are not native to their area. It’s a good idea to study a healthy, native tree. You can identify a tree by using clues such as its leaves, its bark, and its shape. I also recommend planting a tree with he children as a way to demonstrate that there are things we can do to help the earth. See the Arbor Day link below for information about planting trees.

Trees Facts

· There are approximately 100,000 different species of trees throughout the world
· Trees produce oxygen and reduce carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and thus are very important for maintaining a healthy environment
· Conifers or evergreens are cone-bearing trees such as pines, firs, cedars, junipers, and redwoods
· Deciduous trees lose their leaves due to seasonal changes
· Most trees produce growth rings every year, which makes it possible to determine the age of the tree
· The oldest known tree in the United States is a Bristle cone Pine Tree in California that is 4,700 years old!
· The tallest trees are the California Redwoods; one was measured to be 379 feet tall!

Tree Resources

http://www.arborday.org/ This site has everything you need to know about trees, including an online tree guide and a Nature Resource Book for teachers.

First Guide to Trees, G. Petrides, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt; 2nd edition, 1998

Fandex Family Field Guides: Trees (Cards), S. Aronson, Workman Publishing Company, 1998 This is a great way to learn about trees with children. The cards have die-cut leaf shapes, along with photographs and facts about every tree in the set.

Schoolyard Habitats

Did you know that you can create a natural schoolyard habitat and have it certified by the National Wildlife Federation? A schoolyard habitat can attract birds, butterflies, and other wildlife nearby your school where children can observe and learn more about them without having to leave the safety of your own schoolyard. In order to create a habitat you will need to include some of each of the following:

• food sources, such as seeds and nectar
• water sources, such as a small pond or a bird bath
• places for cover, such as a thicket or a rock pile
• places to raise young, such as a nesting box or dense shrubs
• use sustainable gardening methods, such as compost and mulch

Go to http://www.nwf.org/schoolyard/howtoguide.cfm

for free, complete guidelines for your schoolyard project, including free pdfs about planning your habitat, native plants, composting, container gardening, as well as free articles about the schoolyard habitat movement. Turn your schoolyard into a miniature nature area, and join the hundreds of teachers who bring nature to life right outside their classrooms.

Earthworms

Earthworms might make teachers squirm, but there is no doubt that young children are facinated at these crawly creatures. Earthworms are interesting and easy to study, because you can ususally access them right in your outside play area.

Earthworm Facts:

• There are 2,700 different species of earthworms
• Earthworms can be from 1-2 inches up to 14 inches long
• Earthworm bodies are made up of ring-like sections
• Earthworms are invertebrates, meaning they do not have an internal skeleton made of bone
• Earthworms form the base of many food chains. They are preyed upon by many species of birds, e.g. starlings, thrushes, gulls, crows, and robins. Some snakes feed on them and mammals such as bears, foxes, hedgehogs and moles eat many earthworms as well. Earthworms are also eaten by many invertebrates such as ground beetles and other beetles, snails.

Earthworm Resources:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Earthworms
Earth worm facts and photographs.

The Worm Book: The Complete Guide to Gardening and Composting with Worms by Loren Nancarrow and Janet Hogan Taylor, 2004

The Earth Moved: On the Remarkable Achievements of Earthworms by Amy Stewart, 2004
Earthworms (Minibeasts) by Claire Llewellyn and Barrie Watts, 2002

http://www.howtodothings.com/hobbies/how-to-raise-earthworms

Owls

Thanks to Harry Potter, most children recognize the familiar features that make an owl.

Here are some owl facts:

· There are 200 different types of owls in the world, and they live almost everywhere except Antarctica, most of Greenland, and a few small islands
· Owls are birds of prey, meaning they hunt and eat small mammals, birds, insects, even fish. What they eat depends on the type of owl
· Owls come in different sizes, some very small, weighing as little as an ounce (Elf owls, Pygmy owls), to very large, weighing as much as 10 pounds (Eagle owls, Snowy owls)
· We often think of owls as being nocturnal, or active at night, but many owls are active during the day as well
· People have used symbols of owls for a variety of purposes for thousands of years. The Egyptians used an owl symbol in their hieroglyphics
· A group of owls is called a ‘parliament’

Children usually recognize the familiar owl face: round head, large eyes, flat hawk-like beak. Children are often familiar with owls because of Harry Potter movies, but very few have ever seen an owl. As a matter of fact, most adults have never seen an owl in the wild.

Some nature centers have rescued owls in residence. These owls could not live in the wild, so they are often used to help educate people about these magnificent animals.

Owl Resources:

http://kids.nationalgeographic.com/Animals/CreatureFeature/Snowy-owl Photos, video, games, etc. related to the Snowy owl
http://www.sandiegozoo.org/animalbytes/t-owl.html Page of owl facts , photos, and links
http://www.kidwings.com/owlpellets/flash/v4/index.htm Virtual Owl Pellet Dissection